CINCINNATI – The Reds have put one month and three days of the 2014 season in the books.

So far, the results have been so-so. Cincinnati (15-16) seemingly has weathered the storm amidst a slew of injuries — more of which keep coming — to sit 5½ games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee, from whom the Reds recently took three out of four games.

It hasn’t been a disaster nor a rousing success. Entering Tuesday’s game against Boston, the Reds have been riding a roller coaster: They started awfully, turned it around for two weeks or so, and have been treading water since.

So what have we learned so far?

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Johnny Cueto (3-2) is healthy. Cueto was MLB’s best pitcher in April, and he seems to be getting better. Cueto’s numbers going into Saturday’s start were other worldly — 1.15 ERA, 22 hits, 50 strikeouts and 14 walks in 47 innings.

He’s back to being the ace that he was in the 2012 after spending large chunks of 2013 on the disabled list.

Cueto hasn’t made any radical changes in his delivery. But he’s throwing hard, putting it exactly where he wants it, and using his cutter more.

“His mix of pitches is the same,” manager Bryan Price said. “He’s got the sinker, the cutter, the slider, the change-up. But how he’s pitching is different. He’s using the sinker-cutter combination a lot. He’s able to use both sides of the plate with sink and cut action, which is very difficult.

“It’s similar to what made Greg Maddux effective.”

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The bullpen wasn’t as deep as originally thought. With Aroldis Chapman, Jonathan Broxton and Sean Marshall starting the year on the DL, others were thrust into bigger roles.

J.J. Hoover and Logan Ondrusek had rough starts. Manny Parra began well, but hit a rough patch after being used a lot early. Broxton and Marshall now are back, and Broxton — who went into Saturday with five saves in five chances — has helped stabilize the bullpen.

Chapman will be back shortly. The bullpen should be the strength everyone thought it would be once it’s at full strength.

They are hitting .228 this year with runners in scoring position, down from .254 this past season.

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Brandon Phillips’ struggles in 2013 might not have been all because of his injury. Phillips’ slash line — .254 average, .271 on-base percentage and a .316 slugging percentage — is similar to what it was this past season after he was hit on the left forearm by a pitch in Pittsburgh.

Phillips hit .241/.288/.349 after the injury.

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Batting Joey Votto second is not a cure-all. The Reds took off offensively initially after the move but have regressed to the mean.

The club still is susceptible to offensive funks and will be until Phillips, Jay Bruce and Votto start hitting like the back of their baseball cards say they can.

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Trading Ryan Hanigan and signing Brayan Pena was the right move. The Reds catchers went into Saturday hitting a MLB-best .355 and slugging a MLB-best .589.

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Billy Hamilton can change a game with his speed and — aside from the rough start — he hasn’t been overwhelmed at the plate.

The kid also plays some serious defense. He glides to balls that look like they’re going into the gap.

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Price was ready for the job. He got the club through the early part of the season in reasonable shape, despite all the injuries.

Bruce to miss 3 to 4 weeks

CINCINNATI – Reds right fielder Jay Bruce had surgery Monday to repair torn cartilage in his left knee. He will be sidelined for about a month.

Bruce was scratched from the starting lineup Sunday because of a sore knee. He pinch hit and struck out during a 4-3, 10-inning win against Milwaukee. He had tests Sunday night that detected the tear.

The Reds have been hit hard by injuries since spring training. They currently are missing starting pitchers Mat Latos and Tony Cingrani, catcher Devin Mesoraco, closer Aroldis Chapman and now their cleanup hitter.

Bruce had been in a slump, going 3 for 17 in the past six games. He’s batting .216 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 30 games.